Matt's Short Stories

Published

Absolution: Paralyzed after saving a woman under attack by two thugs, a man gets a second chance from on high. Armed with a divine mandate, he takes the name "Absolution" and embarks on a single-minded quest to rid the world of the wicked and corrupt. February 2011, Wily Writers for Speculative Fiction.

The Bank Loan: Frustrated at his inability to get a bank loan, Baron Gallant confronts the loan officer who refused to sign off on his request. The loan officer soon learns why the superhero needs the money after Gallant's rival begins ransacking the city. This Mutant Life, July 2010.

Dawn of the Super-hero: Over the course of an extraordinary week in the 1930s, a Midwesterner learns about the rise of super-powered beings around the country through newspaper accounts and radio reports. But when the world's first "super-villain" threatens to destroy New York, the man's thirst for knowledge is overtaken by his will to act. This Mutant Life, November 2010.

In Memoriam: The loss of a firefighter stings a community; more so, after the man's double-life as the mysterious "Wraith" is revealed. Those who know the man mourn his passing during a memorial service and all witness a chilling sight that defies explanation. A Thousand Faces #13, November 2010. (out of print)

The Stuntman: Thrilled that Hollywood plans to make a movie about his life as the Amazing Marvel, Stan presses his agent to land him the starring role. The producers have a different idea, hiring a rising, hot-shot star, and relegating Stan to the role of indestructible stuntman. Powers Anthology by Static Movement.

No Errors in Programming: Robot bounty hunter Molitor (Mobile Operation Licensed for Infiltration, Termination, Observation, and Reconnaissance) never compromises in tracking down its quarry. But when the machine accepts a contract to terminate a member of a well-known royal family, certain parameters don't compute, forcing Molitor to recalculate the best course of action. Bounty Hunter anthology by Static Movement.

Vengeance: Calvin Collins is a nobody, a low-level hood with friends in low places--the perfect police informant. Double-crossed by two detectives he foolishly trusted, Calvin gets three bullets in the chest and an all-expenses-paid trip to Hell. There, he faces a choice: a painful, fiery afterlife or the chance to get even. But in order to avenge his death, he must first become Vengeance, a being of pure, dark energy who serves an even darker master. Serve in Heaven, Reign in Hell anthology by Static Movement.

And the World Stopped: When the world's super-powered heroes and villains suddenly lose their awe-inspiring abilities, Night Wasp gets an unexpected call from the Heroic Legion to investigate. The vigilante's uncompromising effort uncovers a deep, wide-ranging conspiracy reaching to the highest levels and pitting him against his own government. Told You So anthology from Pill Hill Press. More info at Amazon.com.

Old-Fashioned Police Work: After the police department hires a contingent of super-powered rookies, a veteran officer learns he'll soon be forced into early retirement. As he contemplates his career options, he and the rooks confront a string of robberies that only a little old-fashioned police work can solve. Big Book of Strange, Weird, and Wonderful Vol. II.

Harrigan the Magnificent: Strange psychic messages draw Harrigan to a sinister circus where children disappear in the wake of the grand finale. Determined to save the victims, the luckless antihero confronts the dark mistress behind the behind the plot and stumbles across an unexpected, bittersweet destiny. Available now from Timid Pirate Publishing's Cobalt City: Dark Carnival Anthology (info atAmazon.com)

Sparky Save the World: Harris and his bomb-sniffing partner Sparky work to stop biological weapons and other dangers from going through the nation's ports. Trained to detect hazardous materials, Sparky--an UNDEAD (UNnaturally DE-evolved Anthropological Degenerate) who used to be human--proves his ultimate worth when confronted with a massive, potentially catastrophic weapons shipment. Live and Let Undead: A Zombie Anthology (2012, more info here).